Moussaka is a classic Greek dish, but the classic recipe, I found it too heavy for summer.
I love eggplants and zucchinis. As far for the minced meat, I realized that for me it’s only for meatballs and burgers. I also can’t say I’m a fan of béchamel sauce either. So, I decided to make an alternative light moussaka. Anyway, I always hated frying and I always grilled all those vegetables.
Of course, as my godmother used to say, “trouble” is the middle name of this dish. Lots of pots, pans etc., lots of time in the kitchen to cook but worth it 100% in the end!
Tip: Check off the ingredients you have used in the recipe or note the ingredients you have and add the rest to you shopping list to buy them. - Attention: All ingredients must be checked that are Gluten-Free and without traces of gluten.
Abbreviations: g=grams • kg= kilograms • cup=250 ml • tsp= teaspoon=5 ml • tbsp= tablespoon=3 tsp=15 ml • ml= millilitre= (1ml=0.034 fl oz / 1fl oz=29.6 ml) • l=litre/liter=1000ml
Wash the potatoes well and boil them whole.
Cut the eggplants into slices and put them in water with salt to reduce the bitterness.
Cut the zucchinis into slices.
About half of amount of the oil, we use it to sprinkle the slices of zucchini and the eggplant.
Spread the zucchini on a baking pan, sprinkle them with oil and, if desired, salt them. Grill them in the oven. When they are done from one side, turn them over, so both sides to be done.
Drain very well the slices of the eggplants that we had in the water with salt. Spread them on the baking pan and sprinkle them with oil. Salt is not necessary because the water had. Grill them in the oven. When they are done from one side, turn them over, so both sides to be done.
If you want, you can grill also half of the boiled potatoes, cut into slices. Personally, I don't grill them.
Keep everything aside until making the mushroom sauce.
Prepare the sauce with the mushrooms. Grate the tomatoes or blender them with food processor.
Cut the mushrooms into small pieces/slices.
Cut also the onion into small pieces. You can cut the onion in a food processor, but cutting them by knife, gives the onion more sweetness when sauté them.
Chop the parsley.
In a sauce pan, sauté onion, with the oil that left.
Continue and sauté the mushrooms. If you want, you can add a shot of red wine in the end. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, season with salt and pepper and let them boil for a few minutes so that most of liquids will evaporate and the sauce become thicker.
Just before turning off the heat from the sauce, add the parsley.
Slightly grease a baking pan approx. 30X40cm/12X16” inches. Use the baking pan that you’ve already grilled the zucchinis and eggplants in.
Cut in slices, half of the boiled potatoes and lay them on baking pan. Continue with a lay of eggplants and a lay of zucchinis.
Then spread the sauce with the mushrooms and continue with layers of the remaining slices of eggplants and the remaining slices of zucchinis.
Place the boiled potatoes, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a saucepan and mash them with the puree tool. If necessary, add a little hot water for dilution or lukewarm milk if you want it richer in taste.
At the end, add half the amount of grated cheese, mix and spread it on top of vegetables in the baking pan. Sprinkle on top with the rest of the cheese.
Bake it at 200°C / 400°F for 40 minutes until golden brown on top.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash the potatoes well and boil them whole.
Cut the eggplants into slices and put them in water with salt to reduce the bitterness.
Cut the zucchinis into slices.
About half of amount of the oil, we use it to sprinkle the slices of zucchini and the eggplant.
Spread the zucchini on a baking pan, sprinkle them with oil and, if desired, salt them. Grill them in the oven. When they are done from one side, turn them over, so both sides to be done.
Drain very well the slices of the eggplants that we had in the water with salt. Spread them on the baking pan and sprinkle them with oil. Salt is not necessary because the water had. Grill them in the oven. When they are done from one side, turn them over, so both sides to be done.
If you want, you can grill also half of the boiled potatoes, cut into slices. Personally, I don't grill them.
Keep everything aside until making the mushroom sauce.
Prepare the sauce with the mushrooms. Grate the tomatoes or blender them with food processor.
Cut the mushrooms into small pieces/slices.
Cut also the onion into small pieces. You can cut the onion in a food processor, but cutting them by knife, gives the onion more sweetness when sauté them.
Chop the parsley.
In a sauce pan, sauté onion, with the oil that left.
Continue and sauté the mushrooms. If you want, you can add a shot of red wine in the end. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, season with salt and pepper and let them boil for a few minutes so that most of liquids will evaporate and the sauce become thicker.
Just before turning off the heat from the sauce, add the parsley.
Slightly grease a baking pan approx. 30X40cm/12X16” inches. Use the baking pan that you’ve already grilled the zucchinis and eggplants in.
Cut in slices, half of the boiled potatoes and lay them on baking pan. Continue with a lay of eggplants and a lay of zucchinis.
Then spread the sauce with the mushrooms and continue with layers of the remaining slices of eggplants and the remaining slices of zucchinis.
Place the boiled potatoes, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a saucepan and mash them with the puree tool. If necessary, add a little hot water for dilution or lukewarm milk if you want it richer in taste.
At the end, add half the amount of grated cheese, mix and spread it on top of vegetables in the baking pan. Sprinkle on top with the rest of the cheese.
Bake it at 200°C / 400°F for 40 minutes until golden brown on top.
- I salt all the vegetables, before grilling, to give them flavor.
- I always make double the amount of grilled slices zucchini because I can’t resist and eat half of them while cooking.
- Prefer to cut the onions with the knife into small pieces instead of cutting them with a food processor because they give more sweetness. Nevertheless, this food is time-consuming, so spend another 5 more minutes for cutting the onions, for a better taste.
- You can also use ready cut tomatoes in a tin but if it is summer and tomatoes are in abundance, because they are in their season, they will taste better.
- You can, if you want, make regular béchamel or make ready-made mashed potatoes. But as I told, I’m not fond of béchamel and for potato puree, I prefer fresh potatoes because nothing compares the taste of the fresh vegetables.
- If you can’t find fresh mushrooms, you can use canned mushrooms. Here in Halkidiki, where I am now for vacations, I couldn’t find fresh ones, so I used canned ones.
Good Luck and Bon Appétit!!!
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